


Love (And Money) Make A Home

by goddess_julie



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-20
Updated: 2013-11-20
Packaged: 2018-01-02 03:03:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1051765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddess_julie/pseuds/goddess_julie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur are house hunting.  Merlin thinks they've found the one, Arthur needs some persuasion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love (And Money) Make A Home

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as my Day 18 fic for Mini Nanowrimo on LJ. I'm doing 30 fics in 30 days in different fandoms
> 
> http://i387.photobucket.com/albums/oo320/mininano_2008/2013%20Prompts/Museum_zps20525823.jpg
> 
> That picture was a prompt and what I used as inspiration for my fic! Domestic Merthur make my life.

There were cobwebs not only in the corners of the room, but decorating the walls. Dirty windows let in slivers of sunlight between streaks of years upon years worth of dust and grime. A broken end table and high backed chair sat along one wall where a musty old loveseat sat across from what had once been a gorgeous mahogany desk. Tattered and mouldy carpet lined the floor, curled edges allowing small insects to travel freely above and under it’s dusty fibres.

There was an unidentifiable stench in the air.

“This is perfect,” Merlin applauded happily.

“This is a travesty,” Arthur argued.

“A little elbow grease.”

“A demolition crew.”

“TLC.”

“TNT!”

“ARTHUR!!!”

“ _Mer_ -lin!”

The two men were at a stand off, standing chest to chest, nose to nose. Merlin gripped a hold of Arthur’s hand in his while Arthur cupped Merlin’s jaw in his other hand.

“It’s perfect,” Merlin repeated softly. “It will take a bit of work but we can do this.”

Arthur sighed as he rest his head on Merlin’s shoulder. His lips curled in a soft smile as Merlin kissed the crown of his head with affectionate adoration. 

“Arthur,” Merlin sang. “Tell me what you’re really thinking, not what you see.”

With a deep breath Arthur raised his head and looked around. He let his gaze linger on the furniture, the walls and the floors, within moments he could see a vision of what the room could look like. He saw what it WOULD look like once he and Merlin had gotten their hands on some materials, a crew and some hard labour.

“I see your art,” Arthur whispered softly. “I see us stripping the walls and painting, wall paper is so garish.”

Merlin chuckled at Arthur’s haughty tone of voice.

“I see us restoring the desk, bringing out its natural beauty and making it the focal piece of the furniture. This broken chair and table can be scrapped and we can reupholster the love seat.”

“That IS a gorgeous piece of furniture,” Merlin agreed with a smile.

“We will pull out this hideous carpet and maybe put down hardwood floors or ceramic tiles as long as they look good…” Arthur leaned into Merlin’s embrace, pressing his lips to the side of his face.

“What about the ceiling?” Merlin asked gently.

Arthur couldn’t help but look up, gasping at what he saw. It was dusty, the lighting was horrible but he could see the work that had originally gone into the architecture. “Merlin,” he gasped in awe. It was exactly what he was looking for, what he’d always wanted but had never been able to find. In a hushed tone, Arthur conveyed that thought to Merlin who was grinning at him.

“Perfect, don’t you think?” Merlin asked again, knowing that this time Arthur’s response would be different.

“We’ve only seen the office,” Arthur let go of Merlin’s hand and walked around the room, his voice was trailing off and he was now picturing what else he could do with the room. “But I want to know when we can move in.”

Merlin couldn’t help the grin that resulted. He knew that the rest of the house would need as much work as this room, but at the same time he knew how much fun they could have restoring the old castle, making it into their home. A home that neither of them had ever known before each other. Both men grew up in single parent households, but for very different reasons and in very different socio-economic classes. What Arthur Pendragon had amassed in his life in money, Merlin Emrys could equal in love. 

They wanted to make a home together and this was exactly what they had pictured. Well, it was on a much larger scale than what Merlin had grown up picturing he would grow old in, but it was with the smile of the man beside him, the love he felt for him and the love he knew Arthur felt for him that assured him they would be okay.

“When can we start renovating?” Arthur asked with glee.

Merlin kissed Arthur’s mouth, licking his way past the blonde’s lips. “Are you sure Arthur? You have time to think about this, you don’t have to agree because I really want this place. Really. Really. REALLY, want it.”

They shared a grin and Arthur kissed his lover back, holding him tight.

“Will you be here?” Arthur asked in a seriousness that hadn’t been present a moment earlier.

“You know I will. Wherever you are.”

“Then I want to be here too.”

They shared a final kiss before parting. Arthur pulled the phone from his pocket and dialed the familiar number of his best friend and their real estate agent.

“Leon,” he said with a grin on his lips and his eyes focused on Merlin’s smile. “We’re in. We will be at your office in the morning to sign the paperwork.”

Arthur handed Merlin the phone when Leon asked for him.

“Hello?” Merlin paused and blushed. “Yes. What we discussed. The last show did better than expected. Agreed.”

When Merlin disconnected the call he kissed Arthur’s lips. “Surprise.”

Arthur cocked his head to the side. “What?”

“You know my last show? At Morgana’s gallery?”

Arthur nodded.

“All of my pieces went. Above asking price because there was a bidding war. Morgana played it out and commissioned my pieces to one buyer. Well the money was transferred into my bank account today and I phoned Leon this afternoon before coming over.”

“H…how much?” Arthur asked. He knew how brilliant an artist Merlin was and was thrilled that people were finally starting to agree with him.

“Let’s just say,” Merlin grinned as he kissed Arthur again. “I have enough for the down payment and with a little bit from you we can buy the house outright.”

They met in another steamy kiss, caught up in each other as they stumbled up against the musty, dirty desk that would eventually be Arthur’s desk in his home office. Arthur pressed Merlin up against it, grinding against him seductively. 

“We have a house,” Arthur groaned happily.

“We have a house!” Merlin agreed.

As Arthur moved to unbuckle Merlin’s jeans he found his hand being stopped. “Not here, it’s disgusting,” Merlin gave a heated moan.

“Soon?”

“Soon!”

FINIS


End file.
